Combination neutral pressure point adjuster and draft diverter



Spt. 23, 1952 C. B. I OCKHART v COMBINATION NEUTRAL PRESSURE POINT ADJUSTER ND DRAFT DIVERTER Filed April 20 1950 Patented Sept. 23, 195.2

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ADJUsrEnAND DRAFT Dives-fran 1 Carl 2B. Lockhart, Youngstown, Ohio Application npjril zo, 1950,;seiis1Nc. 156,975

This invention relates generally to draft diverters and more particularly to a draft diverter incorporating a neutral pressure point adjuster.

The principal object of the invention isthe provision of a simple and economic draft diverter incorporating means for restricting y.the inlet oriice of the draft diverter to provide a simple and convenient neutral pressure point adjustment.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a draft diverter for a gas fired heating system and particularly a heating system utilizing a conversion burner and requiring modification of the flue communication means to establish a neutral pressure point with respect to the volume of gas introduced into the heating unit and the size of the flue communication means.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a' combination draft diverter and neutral pressure point adjuster for a gas fired furnace and which device meets the American Gas Association requirements for such equipment.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a draft diverter having a neutral pressure point adjustment member which becomes a permanent and fixed part of the draft diverter and communicating flue once the adjustment is made.

A still further object.; of the invention is the provisionof'a neutral pressure point adjuster for a furnace having a gas conversion burner installed therein and eliminating the need of blocking off the flue area of the furnace.

It is well known in the art that many and various forms of gas conversion burners are being installed in furnaces, boilers and otherheating equipment initially designed for burning solid fuel. It is also known in the art that installation of such conversion burner equipment requires the modification or adjustment of the heating equipment and particularly the flue means thereof to render the heating equipment efficient in the use of gas as a fuel. It has been the custom in making such conversion burner installation to block off portions of the flue structures ofthe equipment so as to achieve a desirable neutral pressure point in the heating equipment and under which condition the gas fuel may be efficiently burned and the heat therefrom eiciently transferred by the furnace to the heating medium employed'. Itis also known that such installations require the use of a draft diverter in the means establishing communication between the heating equipment and ment.

4 oisans. (o1. 12s-:sacri 2 The present invention relates to a draft diverter of the type generally approved by the American Gas Association Vfor installation in connection with gas conversion' burners and incorporates with the draft diverter a neutral pressure point adjuster which comprises a bafe for restricting the inlet orce of the draft diverter, that orifice which establishes communication with the heating equipment and throughwhich orifice the products of combustion are introduced into the draft diverter.

The utilization of the combination draft'diverter and neutral pressure point adjuster disclosed herein eliminates the necessity of blocking off the flue the invention herein disclosed can be madewithin the scope of what is claimed without departing,

from the spirit ofthe invention.

The invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein: i f

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the draft diverter and neutral pressure point adjuster.

Figure 2 is a top plan viewtaken on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 isa detail of a neutral pressure point adjuster portion of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2. Y Y

By referring to the drawingsr and Figure 1 in particular 1t will be seen that a combination draft diverter and neutral vpressure point adjuster has been disclosed which comprises aY square box-like structure including side walls I0 and II, a rear wall I2 and a front wall I3 and a top wall-I4.. Thebottom portion of the device is open tothe. atmosphere. Thetop wall I4 has a large central opening and an upstanding fluted collarA I5 affixed thereto and .is adapted to be connectedA with a flue 'by suitable means (not shown). The front wall I3 hasa large central opening and an annular projecting flange I6 secured 'therein' andforming means in which a communicatingpipe fromy a heating device may be positi'miedl so that the products ofcombustion n 'from thedeviceiare delivered into the draftdiverter through the opening in the front Wall I3.

As is customary in draft diverter construction a. diagonally positioned semi-V-shaped baille I'I is secured to the top I4 of the draft diverter near the front wall I3 and, as best illustrated in Figure 2, wherein the baffle I1 is illustrated as being secured to the top I4 by a pair of spaced rivets I8 positioned through a flange I9 on the baffle I'I.

Still referring to Figure 2 of the drawings it will be observed that the point of attachment of the baille I'I to the top I4 is spaced with respect to the front wall I3 and that the top I4 has a transverse slot 20 formed therein immediately adjacent the front wall I3 and of a width extending practically from the one side wall I to the other side wall Il. L-shaped guides 2| are secured to the side walls I0 and II and with the adjacent front wall I3 form vertical channels for the reception of a rectangular body member 22 having a transversely positioned, forwardly extending ange 23 along its uppermost edge as best shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The body member 22 comprises the neutral pressure point adjuster and is adapted to be positioned in the draft diverter by engaging the same in the slot 20 and moving the same downwardly in the channels defined by the front wall I3 and the guides 2I-2I heretofore referred to which will frictionally engage the same. In such position the body member 22 forms a restriction or partial closure with respect to the large opening in the front wall I 3 as defined by the annular projecting an'ge I6 heretofore referred to. The

body member 22 is shown in position in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings andV in Figure l dotted lines indicate the partial positioning of the body member 22 in theV device as, for example, at the time the same is being installed therein.

By referring now to Figure 3l of the drawings it will be seen that the body member 22 has a calibrated scale formed. vertically thereon and which scale may be applied thereto as with a rubber stamp or other suitable means. The scale indicates the portion of the body member 22 to be cut off to enable the body member 22 to correspond with the input rating of the heating device on which the combination draft diverter and neutral pressure point adjuster is installed. For example, the device when installed inr a heating system with a rated input of 80,000 B. t. u. will be utilized in the full length supplied and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings with the dotted line extension on the lower portion thereof. When the device is installed in a heatingv system having 100,000 B. t. u. input rating, the body member 22 will be cut transversely at the 100,000 marking on the scale provided and the shortened body member 22 then installed in the draftdiverter as shown in Figures l and 2 of the drawings and heretofore described.

The annular flange I8 and the upstanding collar I are of standard six inch size so that six inch flue connecting piping may be employed with the device and the economies achieved from standardization of flue connecting piping and draft diverter will occur to those skilled in the art. It will also occur to those skilled in the art that by using the combination draft diverter and neutral pressure point adjuster disclosed herein the majority of heating system conversions can be accommodated through the use of standard parts as aforesaid while enabling a speedy and efcient adjustment of the flue restriction by the body member 22 to achieve the desired neutral pressure point for the particular system.

It will also occur to those skilled in the art that the device is economical in use in that it replaces a conventional draft diverter which is required in the installation of a gas conversion burner and that the guides 2| and the body member 22 comprise the only additional construction added to the draft diverter to form the composite article herein disclosed.

It will thus be seen that the several objects of the invention have been met by the draft diverter and neutral pressure point adjuster disclosed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimis:

1. A combination draft diverter and neutral pressure point adjuster comprising a box-like device open at its bottom and having inlet and outlet openings communicating therewith, and a baillepositioned between said openings. said inlet opening formed in one of the side Walls of the said box-like device, a transverse slot in the top wall of the said device adjacent the wall in which the said inlet opening is formed, guides positoned on the oppositely disposed side walls of the device adjacent the wall in which the said inlet openingis formed and a body member movably positioned through said slot and in registry with said guides and partially closing the said inlet opening.

2. A combination draft diverter and neutral pressure point adjuster comprising a box-like device open at its bottom and having inlet and outlet openings communicating therewith, and a baiiie positioned between said openings, said inlet opening formed in one of the side walls of the said box-like device, a transverse slot in the top wall of the said device adjacent the wall in which the said inlet opening is formed, guides positioned on the oppositely disposed side walls of the device adjacent the wall in which the said inlet opening is formed, a body member movably positioned through said slot and in registry with said guides and partially closing the said inlet opening, and a transversely extending outturned fia-ngc on the upper edge of the said body member for limiting the downward movement of said body member in the said slot.

3. A combination draftdiverter and neutral pressure point adjuster comprising a box-like device open at its bottom and having inlet and outlet openings communicating therewith and a bale positioned between said openings, said inlet opening formed in one of the side walls of the said box-like device and the outlet opening formed in the top Wall of the box-like device, a transverseY slot in the top wall of the said device spaced with respect to the outlet opening and adjacent the wall in which the said inlet opening is formed, vertical guides on the oppositely disposed side walls of the device adjacent the wall in which the said inlet opening is formed and a flat body member movably positioned through said slot and in registry between said guides and said wall and partially closing the said inlet opening, said body member formed of sheet metal and adapted to be cut olf to provide a desired degree of closure with respect to said inlet opening.

4. In a draft diverter having a box-like body open at the bottom, an inlet opening on one side and an outlet opening on the top and a baille diagonally positioned in the draft diverter between the said openings, a neutral pressure point .adjuster comprising a sheet-like body member 5 movably vertically in said box adjacent the said inlet opening for partially blocking the same, the said box having channels formed adjacent the said opening for receiving the said sheet-like body member and retaining the same in position 5 by friction.

CARL B. LOCKHART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

Number Number France Apr. 12, 1921 

